I'm back!

Okay, I've actually been back for over a month. What can I say? I need a vacation!  =)

The computer is still awful and hard to work with. But more than that, this time of year it's hard to sit at the computer for hours when there is gardening, sewing, baking, and visiting with neighbors and friends to do.

I realized I'd better post something because a number of possible new readers may be disappointed that I haven't posted anything in over a month. Where would these new readers come from? Well - we're famous again.  Last fall we were interviewed for an article in Minnesota Monthly. The magazine came out a week or two ago and we've been hearing about it from friends, neighbors, and co-workers since then. I finally got to see a copy of it for myself just this morning. And right there in the article they mention my blog! So I guess I'd better get back on track and get blogging again. Here is the article online; the paper issue has several pretty nice pictures of us, and other fellow city gardeners/farmers.

So, what has been up around the homestead? A lot!

• I planted a bunch of seeds just before heading to Kenya and when I returned two weeks later I found a little jungle in the basement. My wonderful husband had remembered to water and care for them so a ton of kale and basil came up. I also planted a load of Calendula and Borage - I got the seeds from my mom.  Why so many flowers? Well... 
• While I was gone Jeremy picked up some bees! Pictures of that hopefully soon. They seem to be plenty happy and healthy and are working away at all that glorious honey.
• So - where to put all that kale? Some of you may remember the boulevard raised bed I've been talking about for a year or two. I finally got that installed and half the kale went there and a few basil. There are also several rhubarb growing there so that spot is very productive now - or at least it will be. Building that bed allowed me to dig extra dirt out of one of the back beds so I could get that ready - and then I put more kale in there!
• At some point I finished moving most of the strawberries over to one of the three beds in the back. I have got to get it all covered up though. We had our first almost ripe strawberry the other day but left it to ripen for one more day. Sure enough, the next morning it was completely gone. Squirrels!! I hate them!! Another strawberry is showing some color so I have to get all my netting up soon - like maybe today!
• The second bed has a large and healthy crop of garlic, a couple tomato plants, and tons of kale. We are going to be eating a lot of kale chips this summer - I can tell you that!
• The third bed has a tomato and a wall of snap peas, the first of which were ready to eat just the other day. Yum!
• In chicken news - we have a broody hen!!! For the first time in three years. It seems like everyone else always has broody hens, and it's pointless since they don't have roosters. But we of course do, so it's possible this Maran will actually hatch something out. Hopefully pictures and more story about that...eventually.
• I don't think I've talked about mushrooms hardly at all. Jeremy is still busy innoculating and is nearing the end. There is a small pile left in the garage. Today he is working on totem innoculations out at the farm. My brother has been visiting us for awhile, so Jeremy has a helper. Yay! Jeremy isn't force-fruiting yet, probably will start that next month, but lots of mushrooms have been growing on their own. Enough that Jeremy has had at least 8 pounds (usually more) at each of the last three farmers markets. That's right: Jeremy is selling his shrooms at the Mill City Farmers Market! 

Hopefully it won't be another month before I get back to some real posting. I used to blog so much more and I really enjoyed it. I guess I still do, but... I've got too much on my plate and something has to give.